What’s a non-negotiable in your daily routine?
Everything’s negotiable ; ) but I do try to read Scripture first thing in the morning. I’m reading through the New Testament currently.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received in business?
I had a competitor I admired refer us to the non-profit his wife worked for since it was a conflict of interest for them to get the contract. I ended up serving on their board for several years and enjoyed working with them.
What do you do when you want to get out of “work mode”?
Helping my people get their goals and working through issues. I like operations, but if I’m in operations, it’s a disservice to the company as I’m not working with my executive team on vision, strategy, and issues.
Who or what keeps you grounded when life gets hectic?
Making space for exercise and family life helps give balance to my life. I wouldn’t say work gets too hectic. Our business is quite steady, which I don’t take for granted. Even when things are busy, busy is good. The best place I can think to keep me grounded though is spending time in the Laie Temple. It helps me zoom out to what is important in life and best practices for a joyful life.
What’s one decision that completely changed the course of your career?
Accepting my brother Paul’s invitation to sell pest control during the summer during college definitely was the hardest thing I ever did. Every summer I swore I would never do it again, but the money was so good it pulled me back until my wife and I decided this would be our path.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?
There’s mistakes, and then there’s informed mistakes. Rules you know the answer to but think you can get away with. One of those rules is, “Don’t do anything in a triathlon race you haven’t practiced.” Well, once I wore a chest heart-rate monitor in the swim of a half Ironman and I almost drowned. I just couldn’t breathe. I got through the swim but didn’t actually figure out what was wrong until about five hours later on the run, when I just took it off and figured out what was happening. I wing a lot of things as an entrepreneur, but in a performance, don’t get creative.
Plate lunch order: What’s on it?
Nico’s Pier 38 Furikaki Ahi (seared), all greens, Diet Coke with lime.
Where’s your “secret spot” to disconnect and reset?
Running the rim of Kailua and Lanikai.
Describe your style in three words.
Connection. Open. Curious.
What’s something people always ask you for advice on?
Although I’m not a certified EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System) Implementor, we self-implemented and have used this business organization system since 2018 and have built out our company based on the EOS principals. I’ve been asked to speak and have consulted on this as well as extricating owners from their businesses.
What’s one thing you think every man should know how to do?
Have at least one great meal they can throw down in a pinch. More specifically breakfast or a good steak.
What’s one scent, sound, or song that instantly puts you in a good mood?
Van Halen. I’m an equal opportunity Roth or Hagar fan.
What’s one community initiative you’re passionate about?
I very much respect those who serve our community as foster parents. To me, they do the most good as children are innocent, and it’s important to give them a good home under adverse family circumstances. Making sure foster children have their needs met and advocated for is the purpose of the CASA organization—Court Appointed Child Advocates. I’ve been a CASA for the past few years and think this is one of the better ways I can spend my time.
What motivates you to keep evolving—personally or professionally?
Now in my 50s, I’m starting to work backwards from a perceived end, and there’s a bit more urgency to see what I can do as a leader. How far can my team go, how safe can I make our organization for our stakeholders, and how far can I go. The further I go, the more I can help others get to new levels.
Who’s a local role model that helped shape your mindset?
There are a lot of entrepreneurs that I admire because they’re trying to do things I’m trying to do and succeeding. A local role model I’ve met and become close with but admire because of the diversity of thought is Dave Pang, owner of Malama Eco Products. We disagree on a lot of things but because he engenders deep trust and self reflection, I always learn from him on a more personal level of how to live a better life. I’ve learned some terrific business lessons from him, but he’s helped me level up my interpersonal relationships.
Do you want to retire or live to retire?
It’s a real conundrum. Earlier in my business career, my business suffered because I skewed my life towards leisure time. Now, although I very much enjoy my work life, my leisure time is suffering because of my work intensity. I have a theory on business owners. I’ve seen that folks who retire early have worked super hard and often burn out and retire. I’ve maybe taken my time in getting the business to a good healthy level, but I’ve got a lot more to give and I wonder if I’ll get burned out. I’ll have to see where I am in a few years, but my guess would be I’ll still want a challenge and keep working as long as I can and stay in the game. I’ll always make time for myself, so that’s not a concern.
What’s your side hustle or creative outlet?
I’m not too creative, but one of my interests outside of business is Triathlon. Initially, I did it as an alternative to just running—keeping it fresh. What was so interesting to me was how technical endurance racing is and how learning can help hack your abilities. It’s been fun to race myself over the years.
How did you first get into it? Was it intentional or accidental?
I wanted to learn how to swim and just do something new.
